I still want to serve

[Murtaw]

I was recently diagnosed type 1 in December after a 7 month deployment to Iraq. I was sick for 5 months before being diagnosed. As a Marine Corps grunt it was no easy task to just keep going. But I did it. Everyday I carried a 80-100lb. combat load. I dragged myself to post. Beat my head against walls to stay awake on post. Went days without food. Still I did it without insulin or even the knowledge that I needed it.
Now the Corps wants to discard me like I'm useless to them now. I am not and I will move heaven and earth to prove it. I've only got 2 yrs left on my contract. All I wish is to finish my time and fulfill my pledge to my country to serve my time and duty as a free american. How do I convince the corps that I can do so without hinderence to the performance of my unit. I would rather die than leave my friends, my brothers, my FAMILY alone in combat. Please, someone help me with a solution. I will not except no or not good enough as an answer. I just need some hope.

[OMADIESEL]

You should be able to demonstrate that you have good control of your disease, HBA1c. Get an insulin pump and continuous glucose monitor. There are NYPD cop's  with type 1 diabetes on patrol and one I know after 911  went to a pump it made things much easier. There is even a new one called Omni Pod with no tubes to deal with. You can set your pump to silence.
Problems for combat where you might be on a long deployment or taken prisoner, just keeping insulin cool could be an issue. If you would be willing to take an administrative post so that you could finish your four year enlistment maybe this is possible.
Try to enlist the aid of your local congressmen, have your family contact him or her. There are amputees that are being alowed to continue their enlistment. Type 1 is an autoimune disease with no known cause, you did not bring this upon yourself by eating to much, type 2 is a disease of metabolism that can sometimes be helped by diet.
If you are interested their are several police agencies that do not consider Juvenille diabetes to be a barrier to being hired and the experience that you have already would be greatly valued.
Good luck.

[seadraem]

I don't know if this will help you... but there was another concersation posted in this forum at http://www.medhelp.org/forums/Diabetes/messages/130.html. If they yank the URL - search here under "Military Discrimination". It has a lot of information from all walks of life.

And good luck to you!!!